Rifts growing in the Taliban over the ban on girls’ schooling 

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Rifts are growing among Taliban officials over the group’s decision to ban girls from secondary education, leading at least one minister to leave Afghanistan and forcing families to move so their daughters can continue their schooling.

As religious police patrol large parts of the country to ensure that rules are enforced, the restrictions have become so repressive that some senior members of the militant group have called for them to be rolled back in recent months, three Taliban officials told NBC News, which agreed not to identify them so they could speak candidly.

All three said there was a growing divide between ultra-conservative Taliban members in the southern city of Kandahar, where the group’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, lives, and more moderate members from the capital, Kabul. The three officials have been affiliated with more hardline wings of the Taliban, but they said their thinking on girls’ education differed, adding that it had been a mistake to bar them from going to school.

Some Taliban officials “openly expressed their views in support of girls’ education, believing that it will have some impact on the leadership,” an official told NBC News this year. “Unfortunately, rather than welcoming their suggestions, some people took it negatively as if they were against the top leadership.”

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid denied that there were any tensions within the government, although he said there was occasionally a “difference of opinion among the people.”But in a rare rebuke of the Taliban from within its own ranks, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, Afghanistan’s acting deputy foreign minister, did speak out against the ban, which was introduced in September 2021, a month after the group took power following the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from the country.

The Taliban were “committing an injustice” by barring girls from school, Stanikzai said at a graduation ceremony in the eastern province of Khost on Jan. 18, adding that it was not in line with Sharia law but rather “our personal choice or nature.”

“There is no excuse for this, not now and not in the future,” he said.

It would prove to be one of his final acts in Afghanistan. Within days, Stanikzai — a man the Taliban once trusted to lead a team of negotiators in Qatar in talks about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan — left the country for the United Arab Emirates.

He has refused to return, despite a visit from Afghanistan’s deputy prime minister, Abdul Ghani Baradar, who failed to persuade him, the three Taliban officials confirmed.

Stanikzai’s departure was a further mark of protest against the regime’s “illogical and irresponsible policies,” one of them said.

‘Taliban’s principles are difficult to change’

With a new school year starting last week, almost 2.2 million girls have been deprived of their education in the country, according to UNICEF.

But there are few signs the Taliban will reverse their policy, leading some families to risk their lives to flee Afghanistan so women and girls can pursue their schooling elsewhere, said Sahar Fetrat, an Afghan researcher with Human Rights Watch.

Many “didn’t face persecution, per se; they left because they wanted to educate their girls,” she said, adding that their journeys are often “very risky and done in a very illegal way.”Gulalai, 15, said in an interview last month that her family decided to leave Kabul for Peshawar because her father, a grocery store owner, “wanted us to continue our education.”

“We were living a happy life. Then, suddenly, the Taliban suspended our education, and our dreams were shattered,” Gulalai said, speaking on the grounds of her new school.

NBC News has agreed not to use her last name because of fears for her safety.

After travel agents demanded $2,500 for each visa — far more than her family of seven’s entire savings — their only option was to bribe officials and cross the border illegally, Gulalai said.

A relative eventually helped them settle in a two-room house on the outskirts of this city in northeastern Pakistan, she said, adding that her father had gotten a job at a store and that her mother was cleaning families’ homes to help make ends meet.

Gulalai, who said she dreams one day of being a nurse, said she was struggling to settle in her new school because she does not speak or write Urdu, Pakistan’s national language.

She added that she had lost a happy life of close friends, relatives and classmates in Kabul. “There was no more life in Afghanistan; otherwise, who can leave their birthplace?” she said.

Even those who manage to escape safely eventually find that going to school remains out of reach in countries like Turkey or Iran, where there are strict restrictions on granting asylum, according to Fetrat, of Human Rights Watch.

In Pakistan, the government announced in January that it would oust all Afghan refugees living in the country by March 31. From September 2023 to February, at least 844,499 Afghan nationals were deported, according to Amnesty International.

“My father took a risk by migrating us to Pakistan,” Gulalai said, adding that she did not know whether her family would be allowed to stay or be forced to leave.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban, which appeared to take a more moderate stance after they took power, has cracked down further on women’s rights.

“Vice and virtue” laws passed in August now prohibit women from speaking in public, showing their faces outside their homes and moving in public spaces without male chaperones. “Whenever an adult woman leaves her home out of necessity, she is obliged to conceal her voice, face, and body,” the laws state.Despite internal pressure from some of their own members, it’s unlikely that the Taliban would shift their stance on girls’ education, said Gaisu Yari, an Afghan research fellow at the Wilson Center, a Washington-based think tank.

Since he came to power, Akhundzada has moved to consolidate his ranks by appointing several hard-line loyalists who have supported the ban to key Cabinet positions.

And while Stanikzai has supported girls’ education, “he now feels increasingly isolated due to his position,” Yari said, adding that his more moderate allies in Kabul could not go against their supreme leader’s directives.“The Taliban’s principles are difficult to change, particularly when it comes to women,” she said.

The decrees, she added, “have not only been established as policies but have been solidified into law, making them hard to reverse.”

Astha Rajvanshi is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London. Previously, she worked as a staff writer covering international news for TIME.

Rifts growing in the Taliban over the ban on girls’ schooling 
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Son of British couple held by Taliban asks US for help

Aleks Phillips
BBC News
5 April 2025
Handout Peter and Barbie Reynolds stand outside wearing local dress in Afghanistan.
Peter Reynolds, 79, and wife Barbie, 75, have been in prison since the start of February

The son of a British couple who were detained by the Taliban nine weeks ago is calling on the US to help secure their release from an Afghan prison.

Peter Reynolds, 79, and wife Barbie, 75, were arrested on 1 February while returning to their home in the central Bamiyan province.

Their son, Jonathan, called on the White House to intervene after Faye Hall, an American who was detained alongside them, was released last week by the Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

He told BBC News the detention of his parents – who have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and ran education projects – had been “harrowing and exhausting” for their family.

“And if you have the ability to put the pressure on the people who hold that key, do it now, please.”

Ms Hall became the fourth US citizen to be released by the Taliban since January after talks between officials in Kabul – in what the group described as a “goodwill gesture” towards the Trump administration.

That prompted Mr Reynolds to appeal to US President Donald Trump directly to aid in Peter and Barbie’s release, in a video taken outside the White House earlier this week.

Mr Reynolds, a US citizen, told BBC News that his parents had not been formally accused of any crime.

He said: “They’ve been in and out of court, which is infuriating for them because there’s no charges and they are told every single time: yes, they are innocent, it’s just a formality, we’ve made a mistake.”

An Afghan interpreter was also arrested alongside the British couple.

Mr Reynolds said his parents had sought to work with the Taliban and had “been open” about their work in the country.

He said he believes his mother received “the only certificate for a woman to actually teach and train even men”, despite women typically being banned from employment under Taliban rule.

“They deeply love the country,” he added.

Jonathan Reynolds wearing a black top and glasses
Jonathan Reynolds said his parents’ detention had been “harrowing and exhausting”

He said he had been able to speak to his parents via a prison payphone and described the conversations as “excruciatingly painful”.

“Just to think of your parents, elderly parents and grandparents to my kids – and they’ve got great-grandkids even – and wondering if we’re going to see them again,” he said.

“We want to see our parents again, to hug them and hold them.”

Mr Reynolds said securing his parents release was “complex” as they wish to remain in Afghanistan and continue their education work.

“They want to be released from prison because they’ve done nothing wrong, but they want to be released so they can carry on doing the work they’re doing – which just speaks to the character and the stamina and the vision and conviction that they have,” he added.

He said the UK government had been “very supportive” and discussions with the US State Department had been “encouraging”.

A Taliban official told the BBC in February that the group planned to release the couple “as soon as possible”.

The UK shut its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban returned to power. The Foreign Office said this means its ability to help UK nationals in Afghanistan is “extremely limited”.

Son of British couple held by Taliban asks US for help
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Briton held by Taliban with wife describes dire conditions in Kabul jail

In a recording of a phone call from Pul-e-Charkhi prison, Peter Reynolds, 79, also spoke of his fears for the safety of his wife, Barbie, who is being held in the women’s section of the maximum-security jail.

“I’ve been joined up with rapists and murderers by handcuffs and ankle cuffs, including a man who killed his wife and three children, shouting away, a demon-possessed man,” Reynolds said in recordings shared with the Sunday Times.

Reynolds said he was living in “a cage rather than a cell” but described his circumstances as “VIP conditions” compared with where his wife was being held. He said he had lost weight and received only one meal a day.

Hall was also detained, but she was released last weekend after the Trump administration lifted bounties worth $10m (£7.8m) from the heads of senior Taliban figures including Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister.

Peter Reynolds said that when he was detained, he was initially told the plane lacked proper landing permission and they would be released. Instead, their phones were confiscated and they were transferred to the interior ministry in Kabul, where the couple were separated then locked up in Pul-e-Charki prison.

Reynolds said he was told by the Taliban that they had confiscated 59 books from their home that were “against Islam”. He was asked why they had them. “I asked: ‘Can you tell me any part of those books which is against Islam?’” he said. “No one has been able to, so I think it’s an outrage.

“They have interrogated more than 30 people who worked with us in Yakawlang and Kabul, including our accountant and tax people, and we had to put our thumbprint on a nine-page-long CID [criminal investigation department] report and they said they could find no crime. That was three weeks ago but still they haven’t released us.

“These things are an utter disgrace and shame. The Taliban have made a mistake and need to face up to it.”

Briton held by Taliban with wife describes dire conditions in Kabul jail
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Acting Economy Minister: Neighbors Oppose Afghan Progress

Hamdullah Nomani added that the country should not rely on foreigners for its development.

The Acting Minister of Economy, without naming any specific country, said that neighboring nations do not wish to see Afghanistan progress.

In a program held in Kabul, Din Mohammad Hanif said that international aid to Afghanistan has been cut off, and all current projects are being financed through domestic funding.

Din Mohammad Hanif, Acting Minister of Economy, said: “Neighboring countries do not want Afghanistan to develop and prosper. They want Afghanistan to remain merely a consumer market—for everything from children’s balloons to other goods—to be manufactured by them and sold here.”

Meanwhile, Hamdullah Nomani, the acting minister of urban development and housing emphasized the importance of implementing infrastructure projects to prevent youth migration abroad.

Hamdullah Nomani added that the country should not rely on foreigners for its development.

Nomani said: “Our homeland can be rebuilt through the efforts of our own people. It is no longer feasible to wait for others—we waited for forty years and saw the result.”

He also pointed to widespread corruption in Afghanistan’s previous governments and highlighted the Islamic Emirate’s firm stance against it.

The acting minister of urban development and housing said: “The Islamic Emirate collects from the people and spends it back for the benefit of the people. The priority is to design policies and strategies in the simplest way possible—free from any form of corruption, theft, or exploitation.”

Poverty, unemployment, and rising migration among Afghan youth remain major challenges that have affected a large segment of the population for many years. However, officials of the Islamic Emirate have consistently emphasized that they aim to address these issues through the implementation of major infrastructure projects.

Acting Economy Minister: Neighbors Oppose Afghan Progress
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1000s of Afghan Migrants Forcibly Returned from Pakistan

Deportees say they were arrested by Pakistani police while at work and deported to Afghanistan, leaving behind their businesses and family members.

In the past six days, Pakistan has deported 2,811 Afghan refugees through the Torkham crossing after detaining them.

Baz Mohammad Abdulrahman, head of the Refugees and Repatriation Department in Nangarhar, told TOLOnews that these refugees were residents of various provinces of Afghanistan and were transported to their respective regions after receiving initial aid.

“A total of 845 families comprised of 4,132 individuals have returned, and 2,811 of them were deported after spending a short time in detention before being sent back via Torkham,” he said.

Meanwhile, forcibly deported individuals say they were arrested by Pakistani police while at work and deported to Afghanistan, leaving behind their businesses and family members.

A deportee, Gul Mohammad, said: “I ran a small hotel business at the fruit market. The police raided me, detained me in Haji Camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for four nights, and now deported me via Torkham.”

Some other deportees say that although Pakistan demands visas, it does not provide a proper system for extending them. Instead, visas are sold at high prices on the black market, making them unaffordable.

Mohammad Arif, a deportee, said: “We want to live there legally and by the rules. They should extend our visas. If we apply for a normal visa, it gets rejected multiple times, and we’re forced to get them through brokers for $1,200 to $1,500, which we cannot afford.”

Another deportee, Aqakhan, said: “They arrested us while we were working. Whatever money we had, they took it. They brought us to the police station and treated us harshly. They don’t see us as good neighbors.”

This comes as the Nangarhar provincial administration held an emergency coordination meeting with local and international aid agencies to focus on delivering urgent assistance to those forcibly repatriated from Pakistan.

1000s of Afghan Migrants Forcibly Returned from Pakistan
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Over one million Afghan Refugees deported from Iran in one year

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

Over one million Afghan refugees were deported by Iranian authorities in one year, highlighting escalating enforcement of strict immigration policies.

Iranian media, citing government officials, reported that over 1.12 million Afghan migrants were deported from Iran during the solar year March 2024–March 2025, as part of Tehran’s intensified policy to curb illegal immigration.

Saeed Montazerolmahdi, spokesperson for Iran’s law enforcement command, announced on Saturday that the expulsions were carried out under a nationwide crackdown targeting undocumented foreign nationals. He said the operations became more intensive throughout the year.

According to Montazerolmahdi, a total of 1,190 separate deportation rounds were conducted under the “Deportation Plan,” contributing to what he claimed was a 7% reduction in kidnapping incidents nationwide.

Earlier, Ahmadreza Radan, Iran’s police chief, had set a target to deport two million undocumented migrants by the end of March 2024. Though that goal was not met, the number deported still reflects a massive scale of forced repatriation.

Authorities launched widespread raids across migrant-populated areas, conducted home inspections, and used key border crossings like Islam Qala in Herat and Pul-e-Abrisham in Nimroz for deportations.

This mass deportation marks one of the largest waves of forced returns in Iran’s recent history. It comes at a time when Afghanistan remains gripped by economic instability, insecurity, and soaring unemployment.

The return of the Taliban to power in August 2021 triggered a renewed surge in Afghan migration to neighboring countries, especially Iran and Pakistan. Iran, long a host to millions of Afghan refugees, now faces mounting economic and security pressures, prompting stricter immigration enforcement.

Human rights organizations have raised concerns about the humanitarian consequences of these expulsions. With limited reintegration support and ongoing crises in Afghanistan, the expelled migrants are at risk of further displacement, poverty, and abuse.

Over one million Afghan Refugees deported from Iran in one year
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Pakistan’s Parliament to review plan for returning Afghan refugees

By Fidel Rahmati

Pakistan’s Parliament is set to review plans for the forced return of Afghan refugees amid growing domestic and international concerns.

As pressure intensifies on Afghan refugees in Pakistan, local media have reported that the National Assembly of Pakistan is set to hold a session on Monday April 7, to discuss the forced repatriation of undocumented Afghan migrants.

According to Pakistani news outlets, the upcoming session follows mounting domestic and international scrutiny, particularly from human rights organizations. The focus will be on finalizing the details of a nationwide plan to deport Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan without legal documentation.

Government representatives are expected to respond to opposition queries during the session and provide more clarity on how the deportation process will be carried out. The discussion comes amid growing concern about the humanitarian impact of the policy.

The Pakistani government has recently ramped up pressure on Afghan migrants, announcing plans to repatriate large numbers of them. Reports suggest that authorities may seek to deport several million undocumented Afghans over the coming months.

The issue has sparked concern not only within Pakistan but also internationally. The United Nations and several countries have urged Islamabad to ensure the protection of Afghan refugees and to refrain from mass deportations without proper safeguards in place.

Over the past decades, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees fleeing war, violence, and instability. However, worsening conditions in Afghanistan and shifting domestic priorities in Pakistan have prompted a harder stance toward undocumented migrants.

Observers warn that mass deportations without adequate planning could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Rights groups are calling for Pakistan to coordinate with international agencies to ensure that any returns are safe, voluntary, and dignified.

Pakistan’s Parliament to review plan for returning Afghan refugees
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Afghan Retirees Gather to Demand Pension Payments

Despite earlier promises, no specific timeline has yet been announced by the Islamic Emirate regarding the start of pension payments.

A number of retirees in Kabul have once again protested the non-payment of their pensions, continuing their series of protest gatherings.

The retirees say they are facing severe economic hardship and are calling on the Islamic Emirate to pay their overdue pensions without further delay.

Despite dozens of retirees gathering daily in front of the pension treasury in hopes of receiving their payments, the Islamic Emirate has not yet announced a specific date for when these payments will be made.

Humaira, one of the retirees, said: “We ask the Islamic Emirate to give us our rightful money. We’ve been living in poverty for four years. This money is from our salaries and it is our right.”

Gholam Eshan, another retiree said: “We call on the Islamic Emirate government to pay our pensions immediately. From the beginning of the year, they promised that payments would start on the second of Hamal (March 21), but now it’s the 16th of Hamal (April 4) and nothing has been done. This is a recognized international principle, which is why retirees must be paid their pensions.”

Mohammad Arif, another protesting retiree said: “I’m over 70 years old. A native of Kabul. I live in a rented house. My home collapsed 45 days ago, and my wife has cancer. There’s no help, no job, no money.”

Rostam, another pensioner, said: “It is our right to receive this money, at the very least so we can afford some dry bread for our children.”

Despite earlier promises, no specific timeline has yet been announced by the Islamic Emirate regarding the start of pension payments.

It is worth noting that on Jadi 1st, 1403 (December 21, 2024), the leader of the Islamic Emirate issued a decree instructing the Supreme Court to find a solution to this issue and to hold a special court session to address the pension problem.

Afghan Retirees Gather to Demand Pension Payments
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UN calls for end to Pakistan’s forced deportation of Afghan refugees

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

 

UN experts have called for an immediate halt to the deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, stressing that such actions violate international human rights and refugee laws.

On Friday, April 4, the UN issued a press statement emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions for Afghan migrants and greater support from the international community.

The statement urged Pakistan to immediately stop internal relocations, deportations, detentions, threats, and other forms of pressure on Afghan migrants.

Experts expressed concern about the current situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, particularly highlighting the vulnerabilities of children—especially unaccompanied minors—who are at risk of human trafficking, early marriage, and abuse. Disabled individuals, the elderly, and other marginalized groups are also at heightened risk.

The UN officials noted that women, LGBTQ individuals, ethnic and religious minorities, former government officials, security personnel, human rights defenders, and media workers are among the most vulnerable groups in this crisis.

Additionally, the reduction in international aid has weakened humanitarian organizations and the Taliban regime’s capacity to assist returning migrants.

Meanwhile, the ongoing forced deportations of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan have sparked serious reactions. Recently, the Pakistani police reported the arrest of over 16,000 Afghan migrants with citizen cards (ACC) in Karachi, with more than 150 migrants detained so far.

Pakistan’s decision to continue deportations is affecting over 800,000 Afghan refugees, including those with citizenship cards, as well as undocumented migrants. The situation remains tense, and there are growing concerns about the safety and well-being of those involved.

UN calls for end to Pakistan’s forced deportation of Afghan refugees
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Pakistan urges UN to combat Afghanistan’s illicit arms trade

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

Pakistan has urged the UN Security Council to take action against the growing illicit arms trade flourishing in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has urged the United Nations Security Council to halt terrorists’ access to weapons in Afghanistan. The request comes amid rising concerns about the proliferation of arms to various militant groups.

Pakistani media reported on Saturday, April 5, that weapons have been supplied to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Baloch Liberation Army, and the Brigades of Majid from Afghanistan. These groups are actively involved in insurgencies across Pakistan.

Sayed Atif Reza, a representative from Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, raised alarms at the UN Security Council about the increase in arms trafficking. He urged the council to take serious measures to curb the growing black market for weapons in Afghanistan.

This statement follows a report from a Geneva-based organization, which highlighted a surge in the illegal arms trade in eastern and border regions of Pakistan. The report documents a rise in both light and heavy weapon sales, particularly in areas affected by militancy.

The report, titled “Documenting Access to Weapons in Afghanistan,” sheds light on the continued arms trafficking in the region. It shows that weapons from the Soviet era and NATO are easily available in informal markets, posing a significant security threat.

The situation in Pakistan has been further complicated by the growing tension between the Taliban and Pakistan. Increased cross-border violence has led to a sharp rise in casualties, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. March recorded the highest number of casualties in a decade, raising alarms about the stability of the region.

The escalation of militant activity in these regions has made security operations more challenging for Pakistani authorities. The Taliban’s growing influence in Afghanistan, coupled with its support for insurgents targeting Pakistan, is contributing to the destabilization of the border areas.

This ongoing conflict is straining Pakistan’s security forces, as the influx of weapons from Afghanistan exacerbates the situation. The situation calls for urgent international cooperation to curb the illegal arms trade and address the rising militant threats to Pakistan’s stability.

Pakistan urges UN to combat Afghanistan’s illicit arms trade
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